Wednesday, August 20, 2008

Country music icon Toby Keith has defined red state culture in the 2000s, with songs like "How Do You Like Me Now?," "Courtesy of the Red, White and Blue" ("we'll put a boot in your ass, it's the American Way"), "I Love This Bar," "American Soldier," and "As Good as I Once Was."

His duet "Beer For my Horses" with Willie Nelson got a little uncomfortable around the collar with lyrics "take all the rope in Texas, find a tall oak tree, round up all of them bad boys, hang them high in the street, for all the people to see." And a 2003 feud with the Dixie Chicks, who were ostracized from country music after making anti-Bush remarks in Europe, led to lead chick Natalie Maines wearing a t-shirt saying "FUTK."

Toby has self-identified as a "conservative Democrat who is sometimes embarrassed for his party." He endorsed George W. Bush over John Kerry in 2004. But he has also endorsed Democratic Congressman Dan Boren from Oklahoma and is friends with Democratic Governor and former presidential candidate Bill Richardson from New Mexico.

Now Toby Keith has made some remarks praising Barack Obama:

"There's a big part of America that really believes that there is a war on terrorism, and that we need to finish up. So I thought it was beautiful the other day when Obama went to Afghanistan and got educated about Afghanistan and Iraq. He came back and said some really nice things. So as far as leadership and patriotism goes, I think it's really important that those things have to take place. And I think he's the best Democratic candidate we've had since Bill Clinton. And that's coming from a Democrat."